childrensmuseum

Hurricane Exhibit at the Children's Museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico

September 25, 1998

On Saturday, September 25, 1999, a Hurricane Exhibit was opened at the Children's Museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

One of the comfort quilts was in the exhibit. It was in the exhibit to show how people can give comfort to one another when hurricanes come to Puerto Rico.

Our class sent photographs of each classmate that made smiling face square for the conmfort quilt. The photographs are in the exhibit. next to the quilt so that children can see who made each square.

Our class also made a videotape to send greetings to the children in Puerto Rico and to tell them about making the quilt. The video tape was edited on our classroom computer using Avid Cinema software.

Here is the email message of thanks we received from the people at the museum:

"Everyone in the public loved the comfort quilt and the story of the kids from Sunny Side Elementary. They applauded several times as we told the story to the kids... about the whole experience of such a far away friendship and the meaning that this initiative had for kids and the refugees of the hurricane. Everyone saw the video which added a personal touch to the story and they enjoyed the whole setting (I made a "simulation" of a comfort quilt with the pictures you sent so that the kids could match the drawings with the real kids that made the quilt, also we put together several interactive stations so that they could learn more about hurricanes, how they are formed and how to trace them). Also the kids (including a whole troope of Girls Scouts) signed a "Thank You" postcard that we made for the kids in Pullman.

Now the comfort quilt is finally in the Museum and it will remain here for all the kids to learn about solidarity and love."